Remotely enabling network discovery in a domain environment
Greetings All, I have been unable to find a resolution to what should be a simply problem. I'd like to enable Vista's "Network Discovery" on all my domain computers. Usinga GPO I was able to open the firewalland ensure that the dnscache, fdrespub, ssdpsrv, and upnphost services are running. What else is required to enable Network Discovery. Am I missing a GP setting, or is there a script, registry hack, whatever to enable this "feature?"
October 15th, 2007 11:29am

Based on my tests, you may address it by using netsh to export the firewall settings from a system where the desired option were set to On and then import them to other systems via group policy or other method. (There are too much registry values relating to this option) You may refer to the topic Using the Netsh advfirewall command-line tool of the following website to export and import firewall settings http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/19b429b3-c32b-4cbd-ae2a-8e77f2ced35c1033.mspx?mfr=true Additionally, you may try to search if there is any application else which can address the requirement in MSDN.
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October 16th, 2007 9:51pm

Thank you for the input Joseph, but no such luck. Even after setting up a "virgin" machine, turning on network discovery, exporting the firwall policy, then importing the firewall policy into a GPO, deploying theGPO to another "virgin" machine, network discovery remains turned off. The firewall exception is present and selected, but it does't enableNetwork Discovery as the "non-GP"Network Discovery firewall exception does. This is extremely frustrating, such a simply thing.
October 18th, 2007 11:10am

Yes, it seems as if we could not address the requirement via GPO (Windows Firewall with Advanced Security policy), so I suggested you using Netsh which will modify the "non-GP"Network Discovery firewall exception. Please follow these steps to try it again J: 1. Export the firewall settings from a system where the Network Discovery is set to On:a. Right-click cmd.exe, Run as administratorb. Type netsh, enterc. Type advfirewall, enterd. After you are in the netsh advfirewall context, type : export c:\firewall.wfw 2. Import the firewall settings to the systems where you want to turn on Network Discovery:a. Copy the firewall.wfw to this machine, for example, to c drive also.b. Enter the netsh advfirewll context (the same steps as above)c. Type: import c:\firewall.wfw 3. After that, check if the Network Discovery is turned on. If so, you may deploy a Computer Startup script to import the firewall settings to all machines in your environment.
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October 22nd, 2007 6:14am

Hello KingBear, network discovery is disabled by default in the domain environment, you can enable it through Group Policy Objects (GPOs), check my answer in this post http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2179852&SiteID=17 is explain how to enable network discovery feature.
October 22nd, 2007 2:38pm

Any one figure this out yet? I am unable to allow network discovery. I have created the inbound firewall rules in the GPO. I can not even enable it localy as admin of the domain. The post above is for network mapping not discovery.. Which seem to be two seperate things... Any help would be great. TIA -b
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October 25th, 2007 10:30am

It does work, in a domain environment, if you use the advanced firewall GP settings (computer, windows settings, security settings, WFW with Advanced Settings) and allow the exceptions for domainunder the Network discovery exception.However, the file and print sharing is really weird. I have found, if you enable the exception, file sharing doesn't turn on, but if you manually turn it on, the policy takes effect and you can't turn it off. I still can't get printer sharing to turn on via GPO. Once Network discovery is running, you do need to enable the drivers, see post above, to get the network map feature working. Hey, here's an idea Microsoft, how about aNetwork and Sharing Centeradmx so I don't have to waste hours trying to get these "features" working. I know it's all about security, but...
October 25th, 2007 11:05am

I just setup another vista user on my domain using the exact same policy I am using and all the Network and Sharing Centerstuff worked as expected! Go figure. I am really confused why this would work on a Domain User account and not my Domain Account.. The only difference is the fact that I am admin. Not sure where to look for this. I guess I will try to remove myself from the admin groups and try again.
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October 25th, 2007 1:16pm

Ok I just took my computer and user out of my OU and put it in the "working" OU and removed myself from all admin groups rebooted pulled down new policies and still the same issue. I can not even enable network discover perioid I try and it just resets to none... I tried to rebuild by secedit db rebooted still the same issue.. So my issue is clearly local I just need to figure it out and adresses it.. So now Im way off topic but as to this topic just enable the firewall rules and you should have Network discover... onwards I go..
October 25th, 2007 3:15pm

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2323571&SiteID=17 Maybe somebody could check this out and see if you have any ideas... TIA
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October 26th, 2007 8:33am

*Bump*Is Microsoft planning on releasing a GPO for Network Discovery anytime soon?? It would make lots of people's lives easier.
June 23rd, 2008 3:36pm

After weeks of blood and sweat... here is my solution (thanks to the experts at EE): http://www.experts-exchange.com/OS/Microsoft_Operating_Systems/Windows/Windows_Vista/Q_23558060.html
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July 14th, 2008 2:32pm

Computer Policy\Policies \Administrative Templates \Network \Link-Layer Topology Discovery Easy when you know how. Can't recall where I first found it.
February 2nd, 2009 6:45am

asly ya me3lm
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July 17th, 2012 4:34am

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